[wplug] GNU GPL License

[Yaakov Nemoy]

2009/10/13 Bruno Pierri Galvao <vendicate at gmail.com>:
> If I would like to start an online business and not reinvent the wheel, then
> could I use a GPL Licensed work with my own added modifications?
>
> For example, if I think I can create a better version of eBay and there is a
> GPL licensed eBay look-alike script. Could I take this script, add
> modifications and start a business? Of course the code would be unseen to
> the public for security reasons but if one were to investigate the code then
> they would see that we have left the GNU GPL copyrights in the code and
> copyrighted our modifications.
> I am confused.

The simple answer is yes. The GPL covers the copying and redistribution of the binaries and/or the source code. It does not cover use of the software, which is more or less how web applications and other services are looked at. If your business model included selling this code to other parties, you would have to include the source code.

The better question though is how do you want to interact with the upstream? There's a good chance you'll find a bug in the original project that you will want to fix. Some bugs will affect your add on code, but some bug fixes might be useful to anyone who uses the original GPL code. Sending the fixes to the upstream developers will help you build a better relationship with the upstream people. They may be sympathetic to your goals too. In the end, when they also make fixes, you'll be able to benefit from it. There are alot of benefits to doing this.

(This is assuming there is an active upstream, of course. But it's just something to think about before you do business with GPL software. There are good ways to do it, and there are really awesome ways to do it.)

Best of luck with your business venture.

-Yaakov
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 270 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
Url : http://www.wplug.org/pipermail/wplug/attachments/20091014/a551c94f/attachment.bin